Extending flow further: Narrative of a Filipino musician

Abstract

This paper is a preliminary attempt to describe how flow was experienced by an eminent singer-songwriter from the Philippines. Csikszentmihalyi (1990, 1996) has written extensively about the elements of the flow state among creative people and its contributions to positive psychology and optimal level of functioning. Through multiple in-depth interviews (nine hours and 45 minutes of conversation) conducted with the artist-collaborator, it was evident that while flow was indeed experienced and keenly felt, there were cross-cultural variations and nuances that made the experience distinct. This paper explores how the concept of flow can be extended further to reflect the realities of an artist coming from a different sociocultural background. The implications of the research findings for educators and practitioners are discussed.